How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

 

 

The story about the rich man inquiring of Jesus how to have eternal life lives rent-free in the mind of today's man of West, who is the richest in the history of the world, and who turns himself into a pretzel to make the story say anything but what it actually says.

Just today: 

A Camel Through the Eye of a Needle

J.T. Young, RealClearReligion

 

... What Jesus was saying about the camel and the eye of the needle is not that riches prevent a person from entering heaven (as many who seek to twist the scriptures for secular purposes insist); it is that riches can prevent a person from seeking heaven. ... 

This is just laughable. 

In all three versions of this story from the gospels riches do not prevent the rich man from seeking at all.

In each version the rich man actively comes to Jesus to ask a question about eternal life. In Mark's the rich man actually runs to Jesus. Riches do not prevent him from seeking. 

But in all three versions of the story riches most certainly do prevent the man from following Jesus, who went away sorrowful because he was very rich and had great possessions. It's the whole point of the story. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Talk about scripture twisting.

The rich man has much to which to say goodbye in order to become a disciple. We find that very interesting. The poor man has little to which to say goodbye. But by now we just take it for granted that the Twelve also had to say goodbye and have lost sight of the fact that the cost of discipleship is the same for all, whether rich or poor:

So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

-- Luke 14:33  

This is the easy yoke of Jesus! This is why his burden is light! You come to the strait gate with nothing in your hands and nothing on your back preventing your entry. 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

-- Matthew 11:28ff. 

 

And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

-- Matthew 19:16

And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

-- Mark 10:17

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

-- Luke 18:18 

 

Lecturer in theology says Christians can learn existential gratitude from the spiritual but not religious, who are evidently the reincarnation of Augustine lol

 

The Critique of Religion

King-Ho Leung, Plough

 

... At the heart of “religion,” in Augustine’s portrayal, is what we might call existential gratitude: recognizing our existence as a gift given by God, that we are ourselves created as gifts of God, and that we are called to give to God “the gift of ourselves” – the gifts that we are – as an act of thanks-giving. 

... many who are “spiritual but not religious” or even atheistic may say they are grateful for their existence, as if their existence is a gift given to them, even though they may not believe in a divine gift-giver to whom they feel grateful.

This “spiritual but not religious” attitude of existential gratitude is not about following certain rules or cultural conventions, nor is it about identifying oneself with a particular tribe or social group. It is, rather, as Robert Bellah memorably put it, a “habit of the heart.” And from this kind of gratitude, Christians, perhaps, have something to learn. ...

Right, right, Jesus' message wasn't about doing something in relation to the world. It wasn't about leaving your life and family behind to follow him, or selling everything and giving it to the poor, or forgiving the debts owed to you or the wrongs done to you.

Nay, nay, it was about a feeling in relation to God! It was about thanking God for your beautiful wife and beautiful house, your large automobile, your successful career, and your secure retirement.

True religion is thanking God for the gift of you, the gift that you are.

 

 

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

 

-- Luke 18:11  

Prodigality is a vice to today's stingy Calvinists, to Jesus a veritable necessity for discipleship

 

 

Calvinists: We can't be prodigal with our money. We need it to rule the world! You know, so that we can do away with heretics like Servetus. 

  

A Theology of Money

 ... it remains true that we all know plenty of people afflicted by Prodigality, and one of them is likely to look us in the mirror every morning. This is the vice of failing to recognize that wealth is a very important tool that God has given us to effectively rule the world as his stewards, and thus failing to take appropriate steps to manage it prudently, instead throwing it around loosely and thoughtlessly, whether out of bad motives or good. ...

What part of "all" do these people not understand? 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 

-- Matthew 13:44

Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 

-- Matthew 19:21 

Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 

-- Mark 10:21

For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living. 

-- Mark 12:44

Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.

-- Luke 12:33

So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. 

-- Luke 14:33 

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 

-- Luke 18:22

For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had. 

-- Luke 21:4

 

Do the Calvinists even read the Gospels?

And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

 -- Matthew 20:27

But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 

-- Matthew 23:11

And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. 

-- Mark 9:35

And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 

-- Mark 10:44 

 

Meanwhile Paul mocked the arrogant Calvinists of his own time, who only imagined that they ruled anything: 

You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God's kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you. Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike. Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed.

-- I Corinthians 4:8, 9, 10